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Desertification prevention research. Scientists working on experimental lichen crusts being developed as a means to help fix desert sands in order to prevent the desert from spreading any further. Here cyanobacteria are being used to help speed up the development of the lichens. Using cyanobacteria can speed up the development of the lichen, reducing the time taken from ten years to just one. Photographed in the Tengger desert, China. (KEYSTONE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/THIERRY BERROD, MONA LISA PRODUCTION/ SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY)